Glove

ABSTRACT

A rubber latex glove having a textured interior surface and a textured exterior surface, one of the textured surfaces being transfer textured and the other textured surface being formed by impact spray on a molded rubber latex film with liquid rubber latex droplets while the film is in uncured condition.

United States Patent Ganz May 20, 1975 54 LOVE 2,120,406 6/1938 Hansen2/168 2,173,734 9/1939 Sidnell 2/168 [751 Inventor: RudolphGanlcamomohlo 2,393,298 1/1946 DeLaney 61; a1. ...2/168 [73] Assignee:Affiliated Hospital Products, Inc., St.

Louis, Mo.

Filed: June 26, 1974 App]. No.: 483,160

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 288,381, Sept. 12,1972, abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 159,263, July 2,1971, abandoned, which is a division of Ser. No. 876,812, Nov. 14, 1969,abandoned.

US. Cl. 2/168 Int. Cl A41d 19/00 Field of Search 2/167, 168, 159, 158

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1909 Warren 2/168 llb PrimaryExaminer -Geo. V'. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Reginald F. Pippin,Jr.

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT 11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEfluAYzmsra 3,883,899

sum 1 or 3 FIG. I

PATENTED HAY 2 0 I975 TEXTURED HEAT COAGULATANT FORM g mp SHEET 2 OF 3span 60% WATER 4oz LAYEX LATEX LE ACH ROLL om CUFF mo mvsm' 91" II n t gm m RRRR RN GLOVE This is a continuation of my co-pending applicationSer. No. 288,38l,fi1ed September 12, 1972 (now abandoned), which in turnis a continuation of my copending application Ser. No. 159,263, filedJuly 2, 1971 (now abandoned), which in turn is a divisional applicationof my co-pending application Ser. No. 876,812, filed Nov. 14, 1969 nowabandoned. This, invention relates to a rubber latex glove having innerand outer textured surfaces.

It is desirable in surgical gloves to provide roughened or texturedinner and outer surfaces. However, although various attempts have beenmade to provide double roughened or textured surfaced gloves, none haveto my knowledge been fully satisfactory, due to various factors. It isaccordingly a feature of this invention to provide an improved rubberlatex glove having a textured exterior palm, fingers and thumb grippingsurface and a textured interior surface of overall unique construction,and of particularly unique construction in the exterior textured surfacethereof.

Briefly, according to the present invention, a seamless integral rubberlatex glove is formed by dipping a textured surfaced form sequentiallyinto coagulant and rubber latex baths and impacting the uncuredresultant film on the form with fine droplets of uncured liquid rubberlatex in the form of a spray to thereby form impact craters and abuild-up of walled craters and random plateau accumulations on the filmsurface. The spray is directed at the palm side of the film on the gloveform, and is formed by multiple spray nozzles whose spray pathsintersect in order to provide desired gripping surface coverage by thespray droplets. The resulting glove has the following features:

1. The improved textured exterior gripping surface provides quiteadequate grip on surgical instruments and body tissues that tend tobecome slippery in the normal body fluids.

2. The inside textured surface reduces likelihood of i slippage of thesurgeons hand inside the glove during a surgical procedure, normallycaused by perspiration, as the textured inner surface apparently enablesthe perspiration to flow away from any pressured surface without skatingof the glove over the hand surface.

3. The textured inner surface provides a stippled effect which appearsto reduce the skin-to-glove coefficient of friction, as the glovesrequire less pull and effort to don.

4. The stipple textured inner surface reduces skin contact area andthereby reduces the likelihood of dermatitis. I

5. Reduction in exterior gripping surface tackiness, normally associatedwith introduction of ordinary rubber latex film into body fluids, suchas blood,

f mucous, etc.

6. The inner and outer finely textured homogenous integral film rubberlatex construction of the glove provides a highly pliable, soft andtouch-sensitive glove, whereby body tissue can be contacted and examinedand instruments can be handled with a high degree of sensitivity whilewearing the glove.

Still other objects, features and attendant advantages will becomeapparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the followingdetailed description of a preferred physical embodiment constructed inaccordance with the invention, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a glove according to the invention,disposed on a glove form on which it is made.

FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a flow sequence for manufacture of aglove according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating schematically the impact spraying ofthe dipped glove film.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged (e.g., of the order of l0-20X) fragmentaryschematic view of a typical section of the glove film in the doubletextured palm and finger gripping zones.

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged (e.g., of the order of l0O-2OOX)fragmentary schematic view of a section of the double textured glovefilm schematically illustrating an impact crater zone.

Referring now in detail to the Figures of the drawings, a seamlesshomogeneous integral film glove 11 is formed on a glove form 21 whichmay be of standard configuration with fingers 23 and a frontal thumb 25connecting with a palm zone 27. The form 21 may be of conventionalmaterial such as porcelain, and is provided with a textured surface 21aabout its major hand engaging area, including the entire area over thefingers, thumb and hand body. If desired, the wrist zone 21b may beglazed to provide a smooth surfaced cuff surface which is generallyconsidered to aid in rolled bead 11c formation.

The textured inner hand-engaging surface 11a of the glove 11 is transfertextured as a direct transfer function of the texture of the mold formin this zone. While any desired pattern or degree of texture roughnessmay be employed as desired for a given application, a preferred texturedform surface 21a for surgical and medical examination gloves has beenfound to be provided by a sandblasted procelain ceramic form 21 whichhas a surface finish 21a about the same as fine sandpaper. Transfertexturing or roughening from such a sandblasted surface 21a provides ahighly desirable interior stippled hand-engaging surface.

The exterior textured surface 11b of the glove 1] is formed by impactingthe gripping surfaces with fine droplets of an aqueous rubber latexsolution, as more fully described hereinafter.

In the formation of a dual surface textured glove according to themethod of my invention, each form or forms 21, which may be suitablymounted on a desired carrier, such as a movable board 29 or a conveyorchain, is carried sequentially through a series of steps as illustratedschematically in FIG. 2. Form 21 is dipped into a slip dip bath ofconventional natural rubber latex in the normal manner to form a film onthe form, as shown in the fourth segment of FIG. 2. In forming this filmit is preferable to precede the rubber latex dip step by dipping theform 21 in a bath of suitable coagulant material, which may be ofconventional composition, in order to increase the rate of latex filmformation and decrease the time for such formation. As an aid to fastcoagulant liquid evaporation, the form 21 may be preheated beforedipping into the coagulant, thereby quickly providing a desiredpositively charged form coagulant coating for coagulation of thenegatively charged rubber latex onto the form during the latex dipoperation. For surgical gloves, the basic dried and cured film thicknessmay suitably be of the order of approximately 0.004-0.006 inch, with animpact crater build-up palm and finger gripping zone thickness 2 (aslater described) of approximately 0.0050.008 inch, although increases ordecreases in these dimensions may of course be made as may be desiredfor a particular use.

The latex dip may be of any desired rubber content, a conventional mixbeing approximately 40 per cent solids and 60 per cent water, with suchheat curing and other agents therein as may be desired. Between each ofthe dip steps a short drying interval takes place, and if desired, theforms may be angularly moved and/or rotated or otherwise moved to aid inevening the film formation on the forms 21.

After the aqueous rubber latex dip, the glove film on the form 21 issubjected to a conventional leaching, as with water, to remove thecoagulant, after which the cuff is conventionally rolled to form a bead11c and is inverted for the next operation.

The glove film on the now inverted form is thereupon sprayed with anaqueous mix of uncured rubber latex, which is preferably of the samecomposition as the latex slip dip, and which may be adjusted to adesired viscosity, as by using more or less percentage of water, forspraying, to form a fine droplet spray. The spray droplets are impactedonto and form a homogeneous integral part of the uncured partially driedslip dip glove film. It is an important feature that the latex dropletsare impacted onto the surface from two sources, angularly differentlydirected, and preferably intersecting spray relation, to affordeffective coverage of the glove gripping surfaces including the palm,fingers, and thumb.

The presently preferred arrangement incorporates two conventional spraynozzles 61a, 61b, of the type. employed to spray conventional paintmixes, the nozzles 61a, 61b being .substantially horizontal and directedat approximately 45 to the palm face of the also impacts at differentangles through the fanning out action of the individual sprays, and asthe glove form passes longitudinally in front of the nozzles therebyaiding in affording wide impact droplet coverage of the various grippingsurfaces of the glove. In addition, the spatial intersection of thepaths of the droplets from the two spray sources in front of the gloveform aids in providing coverage on the inner or crotch-facing surface ofthe thumb film which faces toward the palm of the form 21. This latteraction will be appreciated as being generally enhanced by theintersection of the differ ently directed spray droplets in the zonebetween the thumb 25 and the palm 27 of the form 21 as the form passesthe nozzles, which intersectionv of particles causes random vectorscattering motion of the droplets, including collision-rebound dropletmotion onto the thumb inner surface, in addition to such angularcoverage of this and the other gripping surfaces as is afforded by thebasic angular directions of the nozzles 61a, 61b toward the glove form.The glove forms 21 may be traversed past the nozzles in either lateraldirection, rectilinearly or thru an arc if so desired.

The center lines of the nozzles are preferably directed along linesintersecting the central sections of the fingers 23 and thumb 25',thereby affording good coverage of the palm, finger and thumb grippingareas. Droplet coverage of the wrist or cuff zone is of no functionalvalue, and is optional. Thus, the spray nozzles may have their spraypatterns relatively tight as may be desired, and the nozzles may bespaced relatively close, e.g., approximately a foot or less, to theglove film surface so as to conserve materials, if desired.

The fine droplets of the latex spray impact onto the uncured latex filmsurface and form tiny craters, which appear to be similar to thoseformed by meteoritic impact with the earth or moon, the cratersgenerally having a central dish-shaped central zone surrounded by araised rim zone which protrudes above the surrounding impacted area. Thedroplets thus serve to build up the film surface and to form dish-shapeddepressions and protruding cup shaped rims. These droplet impact cratersare highly multiplied in nature and, as with other randomly impactedsurfaces, the craters will overlap, as shown schematically in theenlarged schematic Figures of the drawing (see particularly FIG. 5)..Aswill be appreciated, the size, quantity, and density of the impactcraters will vary widely, and the drawings are schematic andillustrative only, not necessarily being to scale or illustrating anyspecific actual impact build-up zone.

The particular extent of build-up of impacted spray droplet craters onthe glove film may be adjusted as desired by varying the spray pressureand viscosity and the rate of feed of the glove forms 11 past thenozzles 61a, 61b. A preferred degree of build-up of the droplet impactcratered surface has been found to exist when the droplets begin toaccumulate in random areas to form fluid plateau-like mesa areas 15,thereby providing a composite surface of impact droplet craters 13 andfree-form plateau-like raised mesa areas 15 randomly interspersed on thefilm surface 11b. The mesa areas in various instances also appear tohave some small randomly spaced impact craters, depressions or ridgesformed on their surface, although such are not as prominent as in theinterspace zones between mesas and the mesa surfaces appear to begenerally more flat than the zones therebetween and which may beeffectively substantially covered with spaced and overlapping impactcraters.

The precise nature of the formation of this desirable impact cratertextured surface is not fully understood; however, as the tiny dropletshave a high content of water, it is speculated that the crater centralzone dish depressions tend to become more exagerated upon drying of thewater from the craters, and the mesa zones appear to be an accumulationof impact droplets which form small raised liquid lakes held in place'bytheir own liquid surface tension and which dry generally smoother thanthe lesser accumulative or nonaccumulative impact droplet crater areastherebetween.

As stated above, this is the preferred impact latex droplet texturedsurface, although more or less extent of impacting, and consequentincrease or decrease in impact overlap and accumulation, may be employedif desired.

After latex spraying, the glove film l 1 is air dried and then cured asby heating in a conventional manner, and may then be removed from theform 21, after which the form may be recycled.

The net result is a seamless homogeneous rubber latex glove which issoft, and pliable, affords excellent sensitivity for surgical andmedical purposes, and has highly desirable textured surfaces on both itsinner and outer surfaces, thereby providing for ease of donning,

8 Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted by the particularillustrative embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. An elastic latex rubber glove formed of a film of rubber latex andhaving palm and finger gripping exterior surfaces,

the major hand-engaging interior surface of said glove having a moldedrough finish,

said exterior palm and finger gripping surfaces of said glove beingrough in finish,

the entire said glove, being an integral homogeneous film of curedrubber latex,

said exterior palm and finger gripping surfaces having tiny annularcraters formed thereon,

said craters. being formed of depression-forming droplets of rubberlatex in integral cured state relation with and forming an integral partof the base film forming said glove,

said exterior palm and finger gripping rough surface including multipleraised mesa areas of larger area than individual ones of said cratersand with a plurality of said craters disposed in, zones therebetween.

2. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 1,

said craters on said exterior palm and finger gripping rough surfacesincluding raised side wall craters having raised peripheral side wallssurrounding a generally dish-shaped central zone, and said side walls ofsaid raised side wall craters protruding beyond the immediatelyadjoining surrounding surface of said glove.

3. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 1,

said raised mesa areas'including droplet accumulations of lateralfree-form configuration and having a generally plateau-like uppersurface.

4. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 3,

said raised mesa areas being generally randomly interspersed and havingrandomly sized and spaced said craters thereon,

with said craters disposed randomly in spacing and size between saidraised-mesa areas.

5. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 3,

said craters having raised rims and dish-shaped central zones.

6. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 3,

said raised mesa areas being generally randomly interspersed andrandomly intersecting and separated,

and having randomly sized and spaced said craters thereon, and havingsaid craters disposed randomly in spacing and size between said raisedmesa areas,

said craters having raised rims and dish-shaped central zones.

7. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 6,

said raised mesa areas being random zones with smaller said cratersdisposed in random quantity size and spacing on various ones thereof.

8. An elastic latex rubber glove formed of a film of rubber latex andhaving palm and finger gripping surfaces,

the exterior palm and finger gripping surfaces of 'said glove beingrough in finish,

the entire said glove being an integral homogeneous film of cured rubberlatex, said exterior palm and finger gripping surfaces having tinycraters formed thereon, said craters being formed of depression-formingadditive droplets of rubber latex in integral cured state relation withand forming an integral part of the base film forming said glove,

said exterior palm and finger gripping rough surface including multipleraised mesa areas of larger area than the area of individual ones ofsaid craters and with a plurality of said craters disposed in zonestherebetween.

9. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 8,

said raised mesa areas including droplet accumulations of lateralfree-form configuration and having a generally plateau-like uppersurface.

10. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 9,

said mesa areas being generally randomly interspersed and havingrandomly sized and spaced said craters thereon,

with said craters disposed randomly in spacing and size between saidmesa areas.

11. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 10,

said mesa areas being random build-up zones with smaller said cratersdisposed in random quantity size and spacing on various ones thereof.

1. An elastic latex rubber glove formed of a film of rubber latex andhaving palm and finger gripping exterior surfaces, the majorhand-engaging interior surface of said glove having a molded roughfinish, said exterior palm and finger gripping surfaces of said glovebeing rough in finish, the entire said glove, being an integralhomogeneous film of cured rubber latex, said exterior palm and fingergripping surfaces having tiny annUlar craters formed thereon, saidcraters being formed of depression-forming droplets of rubber latex inintegral cured state relation with and forming an integral part of thebase film forming said glove, said exterior palm and finger grippingrough surface including multiple raised mesa areas of larger area thanindividual ones of said craters and with a plurality of said cratersdisposed in zones therebetween.
 2. An elastic rubber glove according toclaim 1, said craters on said exterior palm and finger gripping roughsurfaces including raised side wall craters having raised peripheralside walls surrounding a generally dish-shaped central zone, and saidside walls of said raised side wall craters protruding beyond theimmediately adjoining surrounding surface of said glove.
 3. An elasticrubber glove according to claim 1, said raised mesa areas includingdroplet accumulations of lateral free-form configuration and having agenerally plateau-like upper surface.
 4. An elastic rubber gloveaccording to claim 3, said raised mesa areas being generally randomlyinterspersed and having randomly sized and spaced said craters thereon,with said craters disposed randomly in spacing and size between saidraised mesa areas.
 5. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 3, saidcraters having raised rims and dish-shaped central zones.
 6. An elasticrubber glove according to claim 3, said raised mesa areas beinggenerally randomly interspersed and randomly intersecting and separated,and having randomly sized and spaced said craters thereon, and havingsaid craters disposed randomly in spacing and size between said raisedmesa areas, said craters having raised rims and dish-shaped centralzones.
 7. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 6, said raised mesaareas being random zones with smaller said craters disposed in randomquantity size and spacing on various ones thereof.
 8. An elastic latexrubber glove formed of a film of rubber latex and having palm and fingergripping surfaces, the exterior palm and finger gripping surfaces ofsaid glove being rough in finish, the entire said glove being anintegral homogeneous film of cured rubber latex, said exterior palm andfinger gripping surfaces having tiny craters formed thereon, saidcraters being formed of depression-forming additive droplets of rubberlatex in integral cured state relation with and forming an integral partof the base film forming said glove, said exterior palm and fingergripping rough surface including multiple raised mesa areas of largerarea than the area of individual ones of said craters and with aplurality of said craters disposed in zones therebetween.
 9. An elasticrubber glove according to claim 8, said raised mesa areas includingdroplet accumulations of lateral free-form configuration and having agenerally plateau-like upper surface.
 10. An elastic rubber gloveaccording to claim 9, said mesa areas being generally randomlyinterspersed and having randomly sized and spaced said craters thereon,with said craters disposed randomly in spacing and size between saidmesa areas.
 11. An elastic rubber glove according to claim 10, said mesaareas being random build-up zones with smaller said craters disposed inrandom quantity size and spacing on various ones thereof.